Apparatus for unloading and distributing steel rails.



No. 735,005. PATENTED JULY 28, T903. H. WARE. APPARATUS FOR UNLOADINGAND DISTRIBUTING STEEL RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1903.

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v H. WARE. APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING AND DISTRIBUTING STEEL RAILS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 25. 1903.

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H. WARE.

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING AND DISTRIBUTING STEEL RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25. 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented uly 28, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY l/VARE, OF SPRINGVILLE, NElV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,005, dated. July28, 1903.

Application filed March 25, 1903- To (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WARE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Springville, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Unloading andDistributing Steel Rails from Trains, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for unloadingand distributing steelrails from trains when it is desired to repair or replace a section of arailroad; and it has for its object the provision of improved means forhoisting the rails from the bottom of the car and placing them on asuitable incline or skid, which will deliver them to the railroad-track.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means forattaching and detaching my improved hoisting apparatus to and from a carcontaining steel rails.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and its novel features will be set forthin the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a car having myimprovements attached thereto. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 3is a transverse section, the uprights and pneumatic hoists being shownin elevation. Fig. 4 is a section of an adjustable stake-pocket forretaining an upright in position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of thesame. Fig. 6 is a View showingamodified construction of stake-pocket.Fig. 7 is a detail View of a clamp for holding the lower end of abrace-rod. Fig. 8 is an under plan view of the clamp shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a modified form of stakepocket adapted forapplication to an iron car. Fig. 10 is a view of the same, taken atright angles to Fig. 9. Fig. 11 shows a modified construction of clampfor the lower end of the brace-rod adapted for application to an ironcar. Fig. 12 shows an adjustable clamp for the upper ends of thebrace-rods. Fig. 13 shows a modification of my invention adapted forhoisting rails into a car. Fig. 14 is a side and front view of a stirrupused in connection with the pneumatic hoists. Fig. 15 shows a modifiedconstruction of skid. Fig. 16 is a detail side view of the lower end ofa Serial No. 149.543. (N0 modeLI modified construction of skid. Fig. 17is a View showing my improvement applied to a fiat-car. Fig. 18 is adetailview ofan inverted-T iron for use in attaching the lower ends ofthe brace-rods to a fiat-car. Fig. 19 is a detail view of an upright forsupporting ona flat-car the cross-bar to which the upper ends of theskids are hooked. Fig. 20 is a detail view of. the cross-bar.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the different views.

At the rolling-mills where steel rails are manufactured it is customaryto load the rails into deep car s, such as are usually employed forcarrying coal. The rails are shipped in these coal-cars to the point atwhich they are to be used.

When it is desired to repair or renew a section of a railroad-track, thesteel rails are unloaded from the coal-cars and placed upon flat-cars bymen. The fiat-cars are then run along the section of road which is to berepaired and the rails are unloaded therefrom at the desired point byhand. By reason of their extreme weight and size this method of handlingsteel rails is difficult and eXpen sive.

If flat-cars are not employed for transferring the rails to the point'at which they are to be nsed,it is necessary to run the coalcar to suchpoint and throw the steel rails from the top of said car to the groundby hand. This method, however, is seldom employed by reason of the factthat injury to the rails is likely to result.

By my invention I am enabled to easily and quickly unload the rails fromthe car in which they are originally placed and deliver them to theportion of the track at which they are to be used.'

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a convenient embodiment of myinvention, the reference character 1 indicates a railroadcar of the kindusually employed in shipping steel rails. An upright 2 is secured toeach side of the car 1. Brace-rods 3, having turnbuckles 35, areprovided to strengthen the uprights 2. At their upper ends the uprights2 are connected by a cross-bar 3,, which fits at each end in anelongated groove 4 at the upper end of each upright 2. The cross-bar 3'is provided with a plurality of apertures at each end through whichextend bolts 5 in the uprights 2. By providing a plurality of aperturesor bolt-holes at each end of the cross-bar 3 said cross-bar is adaptedto fit cars of varying widths.

A plurality of vertically-disposed holes 5 is provided in the upper endof each upright 2, by means of which the cross-bar 3' may be adjustedvertically in the slot or groove 4. This vertical adjustment of thecross-bar is necessary when the caris working on a curved portion of thetrack where one rail is disposed in a higher plane than the other. Insuch case it is necessary to adjust one end of the cross-bar higher upon its upright than the other in order to maintain the cross-bar in ahorizontal position.

' Suspended from the cross-bar 3' is a plurality of air-cylinders orpneumatic hoists 6, connected by flexible air-pipes 7 with the airbrakesystem of the train. Suitable notches may be provided in the cross-bar 3to maintain the hoists in proper position. At its lower end each of thecylinders 6 has connected therewith a suitable hook or clamp 8, by meansof which a steel rail may be firmly gripped and raised by saidair-cylinder.

At the rear end of the earl is provided a plurality of skids or inclines9, one being provided for each air-hoist. Each of said skids is attachedat its upper end by a hook 10 to the rear end of the car. At their lowerends the skids 9 are connected by a cross-beam 9, and a plurality ofrollers 11 are provided, which run upon the railroad-track and supportthe lower ends of said skids. Each of the skids 9 at its upper end isprovided with a roller 12, which is adapted to receive a steel rail andfacilitate its delivery from the car 1 to the track or road-bed.

A cross-beam 13, provided on its upper surface with a plurality ofrollers 14, is provided to support the steel rails after they have beenlifted above the upper edge of the car 1. The cross-beam 13 is looselyplaced across the car 1, so that it may be readily removed while therails are being hoisted and be placed in position beneath the railsafter they are hoisted. The rails are then lowered upon the rollers 14of the cross-beam 13 and the rollers 12 at the upper end of the skids 9.It will be observed that the rollers 14 upon the cross-beam 13 are in ahigher plane than the rollers 12 at the upper ends of the skids 9, sothat a rail resting upon said rollers will have a tendency to slidetoward the rear of the'car and pass down one of the skids 9 to theroad-bed. This operation may be aided by hand, if desired. p

The cars which are usually employed for transporting steel rails areoften not provided with stake-pockets or other means by which theuprights 2 may be fastened to the car. In order tofacilitate theattachment of my improved-rail-hoisting device to any form of car, Ihave devised a stake-pocket. (Illustrated-in Fig. 4 of the drawings.)This stake pocket comprises a body portion 15, adapted to receive one ofthe uprights 2, and a wedgeshaped portion 16, adapted to fit over theupper edge of the wooden car containing the rails. Awedge 17is thendriveninto the wedge portion 16 of the stake-pocket to firmly hold saidstake-pocket upon the car 1. A lug 18 is provided on each stake-pocketfor a purpose hereinafter to be described.

When the stake-pocket is to be applied to a car made of iron or steelwhich is provided at its upper end with a flange, as shown in Fig. 9, apiece of timber or other material is first placed against the car sidebelow the flange thereon, and the stake-pocket 15 is wedged thereupon,as previously described. In this latter case it is preferable to employclamps 18, engaging the lugs or projections 18 on the stake-pocket, forholding the stakepocket in position.

A modified form of stake-pocket is illustrated in Fig. 6 of thedrawings. In this construction instead of the wedge 17 a screw 19,provided with a roughened head 20, is provided. The screw 19 isrotatable independent of its head 20, so that said head20 may be readilyadjusted against the side of the car to clamp the pocket 15 firmlythereupon.

It will be seen that the forms of pocket which I have described areadapted for ready application to any form of railway-car.

When an adjustable stake-pocket 15 is employed, it is necessary toprovide adjustable means for attaching the brace-rods 3 to the side ofthe car. An adjustable means of attaching the brace-rods 3 is shown inFig. f the drawings, consisting of a clamp 21, provided with a screw 22,having a roughened head 23, the screw 22 being rotatable independentlyof the head 23. The clamp 21 is provided at its upper end with aneyebolt 24, into which the lower end of the brace-rod 3 is hooked. Atoothed edge 25 may be provided on the clamp 21 to grip the timber fromwhich the car is made and hold the clamp 21 more firmlyin position. Amember 26, which is provided with two eyebolts 27 and is adjustable onthe upright 2 in any desired manner, is provided to receive the upperends of the brace-rods 3.

In Fig. 15 of the drawings I have illustrated a modified construction ofthe lower end of the skid 9. In this construction the rollers 11 aredispensed with, and upon the wooden cross-beam 9, which is attached tothe lower ends of the skids 9 by L-irons 9", fitting intogrooves in thecross-beam, are provided angle-irons 11, which fit against the insidesof the railroad-tracks and hold the skids in position.

As previously explained, in unloading a car a rail is elevated by thepneumatic hoists 6 and one end thereof is guided by hand onto the roller12 at the upper end of one of the skids 9. The cross-beam 13 is thenarranged across the car beneath the suspended rail, and the rail islowered upon the roller 14 thereof, and the clamp 8 of the pneumatichoist 6 is detached from the rail, which can then be guided down theskid 9 by hand. In place of the cross-beam 13 I may, if desired, providea stirrup 28, Fig. 14, having at its lower end rollers 29 and at itsupper end an eye 30. In using the stirrup 28 a rail is first hoistedsufficiently above the bottom of the car by the grip or clamp 8 topermit the stirrup to be passed over the end thereof by hand and movedalong toits central portion. The rail is then lowered again to thecar-floor and the pneumatic hoist is detached from the grip or clamp Sand attached to the eye of the stirrup 28. It is now only necessary tohoist the rail in the stirrup, place one end thereof on the roller atthe upper end of one of the skids, and shove said rail through thestirrup and down the incline by hand.

In Fig. 13 of the drawings I have illustrated a means of loading steelrails onto the car 1. In this construction the uprights 2 are placed atthe end of the car 1, adjacent to the skid 9, and only one brace-rod 3on each side of the car is employed. The rails are hoisted or drawn upthe skid or incline and hoisted into the car by means of the pneumatichoists 6, as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 12 of the drawings I have illustrated a form of adjustable clampfor securing the upper ends of the brace-rods 3 to the uprights 2. Thisclamp consists of a divided sleeve provided with lugs. passed throughthe lugs of said sleeve by means of which they may be drawn together tocause the clamp to firmly grip the upright 2.

As previously stated, the air for actuating the pneumatic hoists 6 issupplied by the 10- comotive through the air-brake system of the train.For this reason no large degree of expense is incurred in operating thepneumatic hoists.

In order to provide means for conveniently supplying air to two hoists,as shown in Fig. 3, I have provided the double air-hose connection 36,which is hooked to the bottom of the car, as shown. This doubleconnection is in communication with the air system of the train andsupplies air to the two pipes '7.

In Fig. 17 of the drawings I have illustrated my improvements applied toa flat-car. The uprights are supported in the stake-pockets of the car,and the brace-rods are attached at their lower ends to the eyes 37 ofinverted- T irons 38, which are passed upwardly through holes in theflat-car. A cross-rod 39, adjustably mounted, as shown, on supports 40,is provided at the rear end of the car to receive the hooks of the skids9. The operation of this construction is similar to that described.

While my improvements are particularly adapted for unloading rails frommoving trains, I desire it understood that they may also be employed tounload rails from a train while not in motion, though in this case Anadjustable bolt is' more time and labor will be consumed in removing therails from the skids.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a car, a pneumatic hoist suspended therefrom,means for operating said hoist from the air-brake system of the train,and a skid attached to one end of said car.

2. The combination of a car, a pneumatic hoist removably suspendedtherefrom, means for operating said hoist from the air-brake system ofthe train, and a skid attached to one end of said car.

3. The combination of a car, a plurality of pneumatic hoists "suspendedtherefrom, means for operating said hoists from the airbrake system ofthe train, and a plurality of skids attached to said car.

4. The combination of a car, a plurality of pneumatic hoists removablysuspended therefrom, flexible tubing for operating said hoists from theair-brake system of the train, and a plurality of skids removablyattached to said car.

5. The combination with a car; of a plurality of skids attached to oneend thereof, a plurality of adjustable stake-pockets secured to saidcar, an upright in each of said stakepookets, a plurality of adjustableclamps on said car, a plurality of brace-rods connecting said uprightsand said adjustable clamps, and a plurality of hoisting devicessupported by said uprights.

6. The combination with a car; of a plurality of skids attached to oneend thereof, an adjustable stake-pocket secured to each side of saidcar, an upright in each of said stakepockets, an adjustable clampprovided with eyebolts on each of said uprights, a plurality ofadjustable clamps on said car, each provided with an eyebolt, aplurality of brace-rods connecting the eyebolts on the clamps of saiduprights and the 'eyebolts on the clamps attached to said' car, across-bar connecting said uprights, a plurality of hoisting devicessupported by said cross-bar, and means for temporarily supporting a railthat has been elevated by said hoists.

7. The combination with a car; of a skid attached to one end thereof, aplurality of rollers on said skid, an adjustable stakepocket on eachside'of said car, an upright in each of said stake-pockets, each of saiduprights having a groove in its upper end, a cross-bar fitting in thegrooves of said up rights, said cross-bar having a plurality ofbolt-holes at each end, a bolt in the upper end of each upright, saidboltpassing through one of the bolt-holes in said cross-bar, a pluralityof pneumatic hoists attached to said cross-bar, means for supplyingpneumatic energy to each of said hoists, a cross-beam adapted to beplaced across the car, and a plurality of rollers upon said cross-beam.

8. The combination with a car, a plurality a cr0ss-r0d removablyattached to the rear of uprights on said car, a plurality of hoistend ofsaid car, and a plurality of skids ating devices supported by saiduprights, a tached to said cross-rods; plurality of adjustable elementson said car, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 a pluralityofbrace-rods connecting said upmy hand in presence of two subscribing wit-I 5 rights and said adjustable elements, and a nesses. plurality ofskids attached to said car.

9. The combination with a car, of a plu- Witnesses: rality of uprightson said car, a plurality of L. S. WARE, IO hoisting devices supported bysaid uprights, WM. E. BENSLEY.

HENRY WARE.

